Passions of New Pompeii Read online

  A bead of liquid formed at the tip. She caught it with her thumb and smoothed it over the sloping crown. He tensed, his breaths coming fast and shallow.

  “No you don’t.” He caught her wrist and dragged her hand away from his shaft. “Tonight is about your pleasure.”

  “That was giving me pleasure.”

  He ignored her protest and urged her back onto the bed. She sat on the edge and he knelt on the floor between her legs. With one hand cupping her breast and the other tangled in her hair, he brought their mouths together for a feverish kiss.

  She opened to him, tilting her head and encouraging the bold thrust of his tongue. His lips were firm, his tongue hot as it slid against and curled around hers. His breath streamed into her mouth, offering his scent and enhancing his taste. She crossed her ankles behind him, pulling herself closer to the heat of his body. Reality blurred and sensations intensified. She felt open and empty, ready to be filled, needing him deep inside.

  He rolled her nipple, pressing and pulling until the tip was pebble hard between his fingers. Leaving one side aching for more attention, he moved to the other and worked its crest into a hard little point. She fidgeted and wiggled, helplessly following his hand. She wanted the hot, wet pull of his mouth, but she didn’t want to end their intoxicating kisses.

  “I want to taste you,” he whispered against her kiss-swollen lips.

  “You need more than one mouth.”

  Fierce possessiveness erupted in his gaze even as he said, “This night is about your pleasure. If you need more than one mouth to fulfill—”

  “That’s not what I meant.” She pressed her hand against the side of his face and caressed his lower lip with her thumb. “You’re more than enough for me. I just didn’t want to stop kissing you, but I want to feel this incredible mouth other places too.”

  He nipped her thumb, his lips curving in a sexy smile. “Which other places?”

  As if to prompt her answer, her nipples tingled. “I’ll leave it up to you.”

  His fingers pushed into the back of her hair and carefully pulled her head back. “If you want my mouth on your body, you must ask.”

  Excitement tumbled through her at his stern tone. His eyes flashed carnal demand as he slowly licked his lips. “My nipples,” she whispered. “Please, suck on my nipples.”

  His lips fastened onto one nipple, and her breath caught in her throat. He sucked her with firm, deep pulls. His tongue teased the tip while his lips pulled her flesh deeper into his mouth. She clung to his shoulders and surrendered to the sensations. He shifted to her other breast. Heat darted from her breast to the apex of her thighs, releasing anticipation like a lava flow.

  “Lie back,” he urged, steadying her as she obeyed. Lifting her ankle to his shoulder, he stroked her smooth calf. “Are your people naturally hairless?”

  She shook her head, her throat so tight she could barely speak. “Many of us choose to remove our body hair. I like how it looks and feels.”

  He caressed her from ankle to hip. “I agree. Your skin is incredibly soft.” His large, calloused hand moved with amazing care. How could such a brutal man be so gentle? His fingers feathered their way up her inner thigh and she trembled. Already tension gathered deep in her belly and rippled through her core. He paused. His gaze fixed on her sex then his hand pressed over her mound. “And here. Would you like to feel my mouth here? Will you come if I push my tongue inside you?”

  “Please.” She arched toward his mouth, craving the pleasure he described.

  “Please, what?” He draped her other leg over his shoulder and rotated both knees out, making plenty of room for him between her thighs. “Tell me what you want, amor. I need to hear it.”

  “Lick my clit and fuck me with your tongue. I want your mouth on my pussy.”

  His gaze narrowed on her face then lowered to her sex. “I understand fuck, but ‘clit’ and ‘pussy’ are not known to me.”

  If Laetif’s lessons hadn’t included sexual euphemisms, it was less likely they’d been lovers. Relief washed over Elaina and she smiled. Despite their pledge to live in the moment, thinking of him with anyone else was surprisingly upsetting. “You’re looking at my pussy,” she supplied. “Some prefer cunt or vagina or core.”

  “Cunt?” He traced her slit, hesitating at the mouth of her passage. “There is stark carnality in the word, but you are much too pretty to be a cunt.”

  She bit her lip to keep from laughing at his unusual phrasing. “Thank you, I guess.” His middle finger pushed deeper and she closed her eyes, savoring the slight fullness.

  “So hot and already wet.” He rotated his hand and added a second finger, fucking her with slow, shallow thrusts. “Has there been anyone since your husband? How long has it been?”

  She opened her eyes and shook her head. “No pasts. Remember?”

  “I apologize.” Pushing deep with his fingers, he reached up with his thumb. “Is this your clit?”

  His light circular motion made her gasp and shiver. “Yes! Oh yes.”

  He lowered his head and replaced his thumb with his tongue. His tongue was softer and slicker, sliding around her sensitive nub with tender skill. He shuttled his fingers in and out of her pussy, quickly building her banked desire.

  She pushed onto his fingers and ground herself against his mouth, uncaring that it made her seem desperate. Hotter and tighter, the sensations built. Emboldened by the frenzy, she cupped her breasts and tossed her head from side to side.

  Acting purely on instinct, she caught her nipple between her thumb and forefinger and gave it a careful pinch. Her clit twitched in response to the unexpected spike in sensation. She squeezed again and her core contracted around his fingers. He fucked her faster, curling his fingers so they dragged the front wall of her passage.

  His lips closed around her clit and gently sucked. Her hips came up off the bed as pleasure exploded inside her. He prolonged her release with his mouth and his fingers, keeping the spasms going as long as possible. She rode the cresting waves, lost to everything but the pleasure he gave her.

  Theos pushed to his feet and positioned his cock at the opening of Elaina’s passage. Her legs slid off his shoulders, catching in the bend of his elbow as he leaned over her flushed body. “Look at me.” Her gaze was still a bit foggy, but she looked into his eyes. “Know who fills you. Know who fucks you.”

  Her lips parted and her breath escaped in a soft gasp as he pushed into her wet pussy. The snug tunnel closed around him as he slowly advanced. He gritted his teeth against the blissful pressure, suppressing his need to ram home and ride her hard.

  “Say my name.” His voice was so gruff he barely recognized the sound.

  “Theos.”

  She reached for his face but he warned her back with an agitated shake of his head. “Arms above your head! Do not touch me.” He could barely remember the last time he’d allowed himself fleshly pleasures. It was taking all his control just to enter her slowly. Maintaining his gradual entry, he didn’t stop until his entire length was buried inside her tight passage. Then he blew out a shaky breath and widened his stance. “Hold your legs. I need my hands.”

  Her lips parted, as if she would argue, then she grasped the back of her knees. He slipped his arms out from under her legs, his gaze locked with hers. Females expected him to be as savage and demanding in the bedroom as he was in the arena. Part of him craved control. He was never completely satisfied unless his partner surrendered, but he took great pleasure in contradicting their expectations.

  He straightened, pulling her closer to keep their bodies joined. Grasping her hips, he adjusted her pelvis to a more natural angle before caressing his way up to her breasts.

  “Theos,” she whispered. “You’re driving me crazy. Move already!”

  He caught her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, and pinched. She twisted away from the sudden sting, but he had already loosened his grip. “You do not command me. I will move when I am ready to move.” His fingers t
ightened just a bit. “Do you understand?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” While he worked her nipples with one hand, he slipped the other between their bodies and covered her clit with his thumb. “Look at me. Share with me your pleasure. I want to watch you find release.”

  “I don’t think I can come like that,” she murmured, but her hot little core squeezed him tighter with each pass of his thumb.

  He stared into her eyes, amazed by the beauty of her pleasure. The bright green darkened, turning smoky and deep. Her body was responsive and ripe, but her face cast a thrall so powerful he could not look away.

  She cried out, her back bowing as her pussy clenched him with rhythmic spasms. Unable to ignore his own need any longer, he drew back and drove deep, propelling her to an even higher peak. He slipped his hands beneath her ass and raised her into each downward stroke.

  Her taste lingered in his mouth, stirring instincts he did not understand. His hips rocked with long, steady strokes while his fingers dug into her resilient flesh. He needed more of her, all of her. He wanted to fuck her so hard and so well she would never think of another man.

  His balls burned with the need to spew, but he fought back the urge, not yet ready to end their encounter. Instead, he thrust deep and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Grab me tight.”

  She wrapped her arms and legs around him and he crawled onto the bed, repositioning her near the middle of the large mattress. Her legs loosened, drawing up against his sides. He slipped one arm beneath her neck and braced himself with the other as he resumed his slow, deep thrusts.

  Without prompting, she raised her arms over her head and grasped her wrists. Her lips parted as his head descended, and Theos groaned. Her willing submission thrilled him, feeding the possessive fire raging within him.

  He thrust harder, slamming his full length into her with each desperate stroke. She cried out and shuddered violently, her inner muscles beckoning him to join her in release.

  His mouth settled over hers, tongue echoing the motion of his cock. Her nipples grazed his chest and her thighs squeezed his sides. She felt soft and fragile beneath him, but he couldn’t temper the ferocity of his desire. She hugged him with her legs, her mouth and her pussy, her response as demanding as his desire.

  It felt so perfect, so— She was his master’s sister! It did not matter how wonderful it felt. He was a means to an end for his master and a night’s entertainment for Elaina.

  The fantasy slipped away, taking with it the surreal perfection. He thrust deep one last time, clutching her to his chest as he pumped his seed deep inside her. The shallow bursts of pleasure were a hollow imitation of what should have been. She arched beneath him, her lovely features tight with release. Her pussy stubbornly milked him, each strong contraction driving the fantasy farther from his mind.

  She relaxed with a sigh, a dreamy smile curving her lips.

  Theos carefully separated their bodies and crawled off the bed. His master should be pleased. The lady certainly seemed satisfied.

  “Are you all right?”

  He glanced over his shoulder and stifled a groan. She rested on her side, naked and unashamed, the very picture of post-coital bliss. “If you are finished with me, I would like to return to the barracks.”

  Chapter Four

  Elaina scrambled off the bed and snatched her tunic off the floor. “If I’m finished with you?” She motioned to the rumpled bed as hurt coiled through her chest. “This is not why I had you summoned. This…just happened.”

  “Are you certain?” The warm challenge she had found so endearing before had been replaced by cold sarcasm. “My performance in the arena was so stimulating you had me brought to your bed chamber so we could talk?” He retrieved his tunic and shrugged into the garment, his expressionless mask firmly in place. “Will there be anything else?”

  “Theos.” She heard the pathetic cry in her own tone and took a deep, calming breath. He was a slave. Of course he thought she would use him for her own pleasure and casually walk away. His only defense was emotional distance. “Our bargain is only half fulfilled.”

  His dark gaze flew to hers and his hands clenched at his sides. “You can tell all your friends you fucked a gladiator. There is no reason for such nonsense now.”

  “I disagree. It might take me a few days to make the arrangements. When are you scheduled to fight again?”

  His eyes narrowed as his mouth pressed into a mutinous line. “I do not know.”

  Refusing to be baited by his obstinacy, she shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I’ll find out. Some time before your next bout, I’ll have you summoned again. Be prepared for the adventure of your life.” Her smile had no effect on his stoic manner.

  “I cannot pass beyond the barrier.” Emotion added texture to his voice, but she wasn’t sure if it was anger or fear.

  “I trusted you with my body. Can you fault my surrender?” He just stared at her. “Now it’s your turn. When I return, I’ll expect your full cooperation.”

  Without responding with word or gesture, he strode from the room.

  Tears blurred Elaina’s vision, but she stubbornly blinked them away. This wasn’t personal. Yeah, right. Maybe some people could treat sex as a recreational sport, but she had never been one of them. Theos had touched her and tasted her. He’d clutched her to his heart while she came so hard she forgot everything but him.

  She washed up and finished dressing. There was no way she was spending the night in a bed that reeked of him and the pleasure they’d shared.

  A soft tap drew her attention to the doorway. Laetif stood there, dressed in a housecoat, hair loose about her shoulders. “Is everything all right? I heard the guards return Theos to the barracks.”

  “Why did you teach him Fedoros?” It was the first question that popped into her mind. She had no intention of discussing what had happened with her sister-in-law.

  “His father was a scribe.” Laetif’s brow arched as she looked at the well-used bed, but she allowed Elaina’s evasion. “Theos speaks six languages and is literate in four. When I learned of his education, I couldn’t resist.”

  This didn’t surprise Elaina. Theos had been far more articulate than she’d expected. Their conversation had been nearly as stimulating as what had followed. “He said he was taken in battle. How did a scribe’s son end up a soldier?”

  Laetif chuckled. “That’s not true. He was trying to avoid questions about his past. Theos was never a soldier.”

  “Then how did he become a gladiator?”

  “He signed a contract and willingly entered the arena.”

  Elaina shook her head, shocked and saddened by his actions. Why was she trying so hard to save him if he’d brought this on himself? “Why would anyone choose this life?”

  “Debt and misfortune, combined with several years of drought. His father grew too ill to work, yet his three sisters needed dowries if they hoped to marry well. It was either the arena for Theos or a brothel for his oldest sister. Theos chose the arena.”

  The nobility of his sacrifice was not lost on Elaina. Still, she struggled to imagine a world with so few choices. “Couldn’t he have continued his father’s work, or—”

  “He made the best choice available to him at the time. What’s the point in second guessing him now?” Laetif stepped into the bedroom and closed the curtain behind her. “What did you think of him?”

  Heat suffused Elaina’s cheeks and she glanced away. “He was unlike anyone I’ve ever met.” Her body still ached in places she wouldn’t consider and she only had to close her eyes to remember the thick slide of his cock deep inside her. “Why did you want me to meet him?”

  “I’m not some twisted matchmaker.” She paused and grinned. “Well, not just. I do think you and Theos make an amazing couple, but that wasn’t the primary reason I brought you two together.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “This entire thing started out as a lark, a unique form of entertainment.”
r />   “Vito was Mikko’s business partner. I’m well aware of how this began.”

  “Well, it has mushroomed out of control and Mikko can’t see it. He keeps expanding, and each idea is more vile than the last. He told you he doesn’t pimp the gladiators. That’s technically true, but he has no problem offering house servants to visiting ‘dignitaries’ or hosting orgies that make my skin crawl.” She crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head, clearly upset by her husband’s behavior. “And this new endeavor.” She shuddered. “He knows I disapprove, but he knows no one will stop him. Prince Tarhee is even worse than Mikko.”

  “What is this new endeavor?”

  “They call it the House of Morpheus,” Laetif began.

  “Wasn’t Morpheus a Greek god? Mikko is mixing his metaphors.”

  “Morpheus was god of dreams in both Greek and Roman mythology, but you’re being needlessly argumentative. They fulfill fantasies, no matter how outrageous or violent.”

  Falling easily into reporter mode, Elaina asked, “Who are ‘they’, and give me an example of outrageous.”

  “Mikko and Prince Tarhee. And anything a person can dream up they will bring to life. For an exorbitant price of course. That’s why they call it the House of Morpheus. They create waking dreams.”

  Elaina wasn’t surprised that Prince Tarhee was smack-dab in the middle of the mess. Vito’s younger brother had bought her shares of New Pompeii shortly after Vito died. She’d wanted to distance herself from anything that reminded her of Vito, and Tarhee was thrilled by the opportunity for more control. Unfortunately, where Vito had treated the endeavor as an investment, carefully managing it from a distance, Prince Tarhee considered New Pompeii a playground and all the inhabitants toys.

  “Are we talking kinky sex or abusing the natives?” Elaina prompted. “I really need you to be specific.”